Fish Need the Rain Too!

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CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP -- The rain and cooler temperatures in the forecast are being welcomed by many, especially fishermen.

Anglers are hoping for more rain to help fill the creeks and streams which are low right now.

The lakes at Big Brown Fish Hatchery near Effort are filled with trout and bass, many of which are biting and jumping. The president of the hatchery said that's probably because they too are happy the hot weather broke and it's finally raining.

"We're happy to see the rain, it was starting to get to a critical point," said Charlie Conklin, the president of Big Brown Fish Hatchery.

Conklin said the hot weather over the past few weeks has affected the lakes where people can fish and pay for whatever they catch.

Conklin said because of the hot weather, the crowds were dwindling and the fish were also fed up.

"When it gets hot, and dry combination or it warms up, the water holds less oxygen, the fish use more oxygen. They don't bite as well at the pay lake. People don't like standing out in the 100 degree weather at the pay lake," said Conklin.

Normally, the fish would be swimming throughout the lake. However, it's been warm the past couple of days, and that means the lake has also warmed up. So the fish are now congregating in an area where cold water is being pumped in from the fish hatchery nearby.

"We do inject oxygen. We have spring water and well water. We do everything we can to keep the fish biting," said Conklin.

If you ask some anglers who were casting their lines, they'll tell you the added oxygen and the rain must be doing the trick.

"We're getting plenty of hits, it's just a matter of puling them in. So far I've got two rainbow trout in the cooler and we haven't been here that long," said Joe Sroka of Philadelphia.

"I got one so far, so at least I'm not going to be hungry," said Judah Solomon of Miami, Florida.